The Not-So Suite Life of a Hotel Candy Clerk
by Connie Terminus
Summary: Just a story I came up with. I was sad when I found out Maddie never got a proper resolution so I imagined what her life would be like now. London/Maddie.
1. Chapter 1

8:30 p.m.

"End of my shift."

While most people love returning home after a long day at work, Maddie preferred the quiet of the Tipton Hotel over the loud arguments of her parents. And when they weren't arguing, they were asking her why she hasn't moved out yet, why she hasn't found a man yet, etc, etc, etc. Yes, she was 31 and still living with her parents. No, she had not found a man yet but neither of those things were her fault! She had planned on moving out and going to college so many years ago but her parents could not afford it (shocker!). So, she had to take online classes. And she had dated plenty of men but they were all so lame! They were all either snooty douchebags who were too cool for Jane Austen or guys who only liked her because she reminded them of that hot blonde chick from High School Musical. She couldn't even remember the last time she went on a satisfying date.

"Well, why don't you have any friends?"

"Well, Mom, I did have friends. Plenty of friends. But they all left me to live on a fucking cruise. I even saved up money to visit them one time and they haven't spoken to me since!"

Of course she would never admit to that. She would lie and say that she still texted London and The Twins, and that they would try to visit her soon. The S.S. Tipton had been defunct for years. If they actually wanted to check in on her, they would've done so by now. But, whatever.

"I'm not bitter or anything" she tells herself. "Zack and Cody probably made new friends, Moseby was always just my boss, and London...Well, I guess I was never more to her than that poor chick who worked at her dad's hotel. Y'know, it's funny...I could've sworn I was more to her than that."

Maddie immediately realized she must stop this train of thought before she started bawling in the middle of the Tipton lobby. Because then her boss, Esteban, would come over and ask her what was wrong and she didn't want to put all her problems on him. No, the mature thing would be to do what she always did: suck it up and read Pride & Prejudice in her bed for the 519th time (but who's counting). Then again, she could always catch Carey Martin's show.

"Things aren't too busy so I could probably get a good seat." she thought to herself. Plus, she never got tired of watching Ms. Martin perform. Unlike the rest of the Tipton Hotel, Carey Martin has only gotten more beautiful with age though her gray hair and world-weary voice made her seem much older than she actually was. She had also always been there for Maddie since she was a teenager, becoming somewhat of a surrogate mother. Lord knows, ever since her own kids moved out, she needed to fulfill her maternal instinct somehow.

Whenever Ms. Martin came back from visiting them, she would always walk up to Maddie's stand and tell her:

"The Twins said hi."

Maddie knew this wasn't true, but the fact that Ms. Martin went out of her way to lie so Maddie felt better meant a lot. She and Esteban were always looking out for...it suddenly occurred to Maddie that Esteban was not at his desk, leaving all the hotel room keys unintended.

Maddie had frequently thought about this exact scenario, usually on one of the slow shifts where there wasn't much else to focus on. Of all the many tiny keys that adorned the wall behind Esteban's desk, there was only that caught Maddie's attention. The key to the Tipton Penthouse Suite. Without missing a beat, Maddie quickly scuttled over behind the desk and snatched that key before Esteban could come back. She scurried even quicker into one of the Tipton elevators and made sure it took her to the toppest floor. A wave of exhilaration had come over Maddie. She had been inside the Tipton Penthouse Suite many times as a teenager. But that was many years ago. Ever since the suite's only occupant left for sea, the only people allowed in there were the cleaning crew. Maddie wasn't sure what she was expecting to happen once she unlocked that door. Maybe she was hoping revisiting that bed room, where she had spent many nights, would give her some kind of closure. But there was an even sadder part of her that hoped against hope that she would open that door and find London Tipton reading an expensive shopping catalogue. Maybe London was hiding out in there to avoid all the publicity. Yeah, that's it. London's Dad had taken a controversial job at the White House. Maybe he put her there to keep her safe until everything blew over.

"London has been living in this room in secret for years and that's why she's never called me!"

Maddie's mind had run away from her. She was finally at the door. She slowly put in the key, turned the lock, and opened the door to find…...a dark empty penthouse suite covered in cobwebs. The cleaning crew had been slacking.

Maddie never returned home that night. Instead, she spent most of the night sobbing into London Tipton's expensive pillows.


	2. Chapter 2

_Authors Note: From here on out, this story will just be vignettes focusing on London & Maddie's relationship. The following chapter takes place during the original Suite Life TV show. _

"London?"

"Hmn?"

"Where do you see yourself in 30 years?"

The question caught London Tipton off guard. Her & Maddie had been sitting in silence, watching the stars, for the past five minutes. Laying in sleeping bags, on London's balcony, and staring at the night sky was a favorite past time of theirs. For Maddie, it was a chance to spend the night somewhere other than her parents' dingy apartment. Not having to listen to two middle-aged alcoholics screaming at each other was a plus. For London, it was a chance to lie near the only person who had ever understood her and feel like she's part of something bigger than herself. Of course, London could not intellectually comprehend those emotions but she knew she liked them.

"What makes you ask a silly question like that?"

Maddie shrugged, "I don't know. It's just something I saw on a job application."

London sat up with a start. "Why are you filling out a job application! You have everything you could need right here!" The idea of Maddie leaving her was existentially terrifying to London. This was not simply out of fear of losing their intimate relationship but because it would mean, that despite all her wealth and power, London did not have any control over a dirt poor candy store clerk. But again, London could never intellectualize these feelings to herself. She just knew it was bad and she hated it.

Maddie didn't notice the desperation in London's voice and laughed off the question. "I know that this might be hard to believe but not everyone can live off your dad's money. Especially when he only pays minimum wage."

"So…..you're leaving?" London asked this question in a voice that conveyed such broken sadness, Maddie realized she made a mistake.

"I'm not leaving my job here! Don't worry, you'll still see me everyday, I'm just trying to make some extra dough on the side."

London felt her heart start to relax. "Thank goodness! This place wouldn't be the same without you...It'd just be the twins and Moseby."

"Don't forget Esteban!" Maddie helpfully reminded.

"I thought he was deported?"

It was Maddie's turn to be caught off guard. "London, he's on leave after he threw his back out. Remember? You made him carry those solid gold bricks to your room. The ones that are underneath your bed right now?" Maddie was use to London forgetting basic information but the blase way in which she inquired about Esteban's fate had her shook.

"Oh yeah. I forgot daddy asked me to hide those for him."

"Shouldn't they be in Fort Knox?"

"Daddy doesn't trust banks."

Maddie was still reeling from how quickly London had forgotten the misery she caused Esteban and how indifferent she was towards his imaginary deportation. It was little moments like these that made Maddie reconsider her relationship with this person. She had devoted the current stage of her life to teaching this girl that just because someone is poor, does not mean they only exist to orbit Planet London. Maddie thought she had made progress but maybe there is no "fixing" the daughter of Wifred Tipton. Maybe she will always be a rich girl sociopath who will leave someone broken once she has no further use for them. Maddie realized she needed to quickly change the topic and push these thoughts to the back of her mind.

"You never did answer the question."

"What question?"

"Where do you see yourself in 30 years?"

"Oh, right that! It's funny...I never thought about that."

London was clearly giving the matter some intense thought. Maddie began to worry that she might hurt herself.

"I got it! I'll be a world famous actress!"

Maddie snorted laughing. "Really? And what, pertell, will you be acting in?"

"Lots of things!" London indignantly replied. "I can have my own TV show: _The Suite Life of London Tipton_. Pretty catchy, huh?"

Maddie chuckled. She couldn't handle how adorable London was being at this moment. "Well, I hope you mention me in your acceptance speech."

Don't worry, Maddie...Every actress remembers the little people who helped her along the way!"

Maddie couldn't help herself. She loved this girl. No matter how condescending she could be. No matter how apathetic she was to the problems of people who are not her. No matter if she left her one day to marry some hedge fund manager's son. Maddie Fitzpatrick loved London Tipton, and she believed deep in her heart that London loved her back. She thought of herself as a self-respecting, independent working girl. But nights like this made Maddie glad to be a mere moon in the orbit of Planet London.


	3. Chapter 3

_3 a.m. Shit. I'm still up._

Maddie lied in her childhood bed as she did every night.

_This is why I take the damn night shift._

She pulled out her phone to check Twitter. Upon realizing that everyone she followed was arguing about _Infinite Jest _again, she exited the app. She decided to open Instagram instead. See how her old friends are doing.

_Mary posting some more inspirational bullshit. Whatever. Thanks for leaving me on read, bitch. Cody's taking pictures of some desert. IDGAF. Zack's still going on about how "real" Joker is. If I slid into his DMs, would he still be interested? Maybe if I get desperate enough. If he turned me down it would definitely be a low point in a life full of them. _

Maddie stopped scrolling. There was still one account she wanted to check in on. She typed the name into the search bar since she does not follow this person. She felt the same twinge of bitterness she always felt when she scrolled through this account. Bitterness mixed with...Maddie's hand started to hover over her crotch before she quickly withdrew.

_No. Absolutely not. You're not jerking off to your ex's Instagram...again._

She shut her phone off, stuffed it back in her drawer, and slammed it shut. She sighed a deep and emotionally-drained sigh. Maddie remembered when She also had trouble sleeping. She would call her at random hours of the night.

_Maybe she just didn't want to be alone with her thoughts. If she has any. Laugh track _(Maddie always imagined one following her brilliant quips.)

Maddie screamed into her pillow.

_It's been 10 years. _

10 years since she last spoke to London Tipton. She spent the first two in-denial.

_Once she's had her fun on the S.S. Tipton, she'll come back to Boston. And so will Moseby and the twins. There's no way they've forgotten about me, especially not her. I SAVED HER LIFE FROM CHOKING DAMMIT! _

Then the S.S. Tipton got shut down. Maddie tried reaching out to London and the twins. At least the Martins gave her the bare-minimum "it was nice catching up with you" convo. She didn't even know whether London saw her message. London must have started using a different personal phone. Every time she tried calling that number, she got a French intern saying he'll relay the message.

_He must have thought I was a crazy person and that's why she isn't speaking to me. She never got my message. Still…..if she wanted to talk to me, there's nothing stopping her. Maybe she'll ask her new assistant if he's ever heard from and realize what a shitty job he's done. And then fire his ass for keeping me away from her. _

Two more years went by. Maddie realized she wasn't coming back. She tried to push all memories of London to the back of her head. It didn't matter.

_I've worked my ass off my entire life. I don't need anyone, least of all a spoiled rich bitch who was being gifted exotic plants at the age of 12. Fitzpatricks have had to fend for themselves ever since my great-grandparents got on that boat to escape famine. Fuck her. _

That mindset helped her show up to work everyday. Who cares if she spent every minute at home lying in her bed and staring at the ceiling while bawling. Her parents didn't care so why should she. They didn't even notice when she stopped eating dinner. And lunch. She tried swiping some candy, occasionally, only to immediately vomit it up into the nearest trash can. Her parents still didn't notice. Well, until she made her first suicide attempt. "Attempt" being a bit of a strong word though. She wrote a letter, and sat on the toilet with her mother's pills and a glass of water on the sink. She could've done it at any moment. But deep down, she knew that she had no intention of going through with it. She just wanted somebody to notice her pain. Year five. Maddie was diagnosed with depression and some sort of anxiety disorder. She began taking meds. Her parents had even put a temporary halt to their fights to be more observant of their daughter.

_So generous of them_.

Maddie even began attending Catholic mass with them. She never believed in that shit when she was with _Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow_ but right now, she needed all the help she could get. Maybe she liked the idea of someone who wouldn't abandon her. This newfound parental compassion lasted a little over a year and it was back to the same old nightly fights. Maddie couldn't really commit to her newly saved soul either. At least the meds were working. Until she stopped being able to afford them in 2017. Still, her situation had slightly improved. She was more social with Esteban and Mrs. Martin again. She had begun going out on dates with guys again (_though they were all losers_). She even became mutual followers with the twins on social media.

_That has to count for something, right? _

Speaking of social media and dating, Maddie just recently made a very important decision. She changed her Tinder preference to Men _and _Women. Not a huge statement in this day and age but a milestone for her. Maddie had always been sheepish about acknowledging her sexuality to herself. _Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow _wasn't exactly a gay-friendly atmosphere. That's partially why being with London felt so euphoric for her. It was a secret both of them could share together.

_I can't pretend I didn't think that was the most romantic shit. _

Still, after she and London stopped talking, Maddie never felt comfortable pursuing this side of her any further. She could deal with whatever douche-y guy shit she had to put up with on her one-off dates. But seeing other women felt like an admission that London was never coming back. Plus,

_I don't want to get hurt again._

Coincidentally, Maddie noticed a new notification from Tinder. She matched with someone.

_Sure, why not. Let's see who the poor sap is this time….Oh. It's a woman. Bailey Pickett._

That name sounded very familiar. Did she go to school with her? Then, it dawned on her.

_Oh my god. _

The color flushed from her face when she saw that the girl was typing a message.

"_hey"_

"_Hello"_

"_i think i know you?"_

"_Yeah. We've met before."_

"_your london's old friend right?" _


	4. Chapter 4

**The following chapters will be flashbacks to the period of the original series. **

* * *

"11:30 am. 3 hours and 30 minutes into my shift. 9 hours until the end of my shift. 10 hours until London comes home." Maddie repeated to herself to make the monotony go by faster. London had been gone for an entire week on one of her goodwill tours. Mr. Tipton had scored several third world locations so he sent his daughter off to shake hands with some crackpot CIA funded dictators. Not that London minded. Any excuse to travel around the world and be treated like a princess. But who cares? The good news is that she's coming back!

"Well, well, well! Someone's unusually chipper this morning!" Moseby had noticed the smile on Maddie's face at the thought of London returning.

"Scamp has been running around the apartment wondering where his girlfriend is. So, when Ivan and London come back, we're going to have a doggie date!" All of this was true but wasn't the actual reason why Maddie was so ecstatic about London returning.

"And I see you decided to get all made-up for this doggie date."

Maddie blushed but thankfully the rouge made it hard to tell. She could never tell how much Moseby knew about her relationship with London. "It'll also be nice having someone else to talk to again" she said while trying to sound as casual as possible. "Y'know? Besides you, the twins, Lance, Todd, Este-WAIT TODD?!" Out of the corner of her eye, Maddie noticed an unusual figure lurking around the lobby. Todd St. Mark: Aspiring dentist, son of Mr. Tipton's biggest rival, and London's ex. She and Moseby rushed over to their unexpected visitor.

"Todd! What are you doing back in Boston?" Maddie asked.

"And does your father know you're here? Last thing I need is him sending over Ilsa, She-Mole of the SS!" Moseby added. Todd chuckled at this derogatory reference to his dad's employee.

"Don't worry. I'm here on my own business, Mr. Mowgli."

Maddie chuckled at Todd's accidental butchering of his name. Moseby looked less pleased. "Very well. If you need me, I have some orangutans to attend to." Todd and Maddie watched as Moseby grouchily stormed off before continuing their conversation.

"Do you know where I can find London?" Todd asked.

"Uh, yeah. What for?" Maddie asked nervously.

"I'm going to ask London to move in with me in Zürich! I figured there's no reason I can't attend dental school and be with the girl of my dreams!"

"Oh. That's um really sweet" Maddie muttered meekly. Todd didn't notice her tone.

"Yeah, and I even got her this!" He pulled out a wedding ring.

Maddie gasped. "Todd, don't you think it's a little sudden to ask her to marry you?"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to ask her for awhile now. I figured I might as well buy the ring right now anyway. It's not like I can't afford to!"

Maddie pretended to laugh. "That's really….sweet. Sweet. I can only hope London ends up with the person who loves her the most."

"_Real subtle, Maddie." _She thought to herself. If Todd noticed her anxious tone, he pretended otherwise.

"Yeah. So where is London?"

"She's…..she's…..ON HER ISLAND!" Maddie stammered before realizing how weak this lie was.

"Which island?"

"It's uh…...an unmarked island! Completely secret to the public. Not even the U.S. government knows about it. Hell, if London's father found out I knew, I'm in deep shit!"

Todd looked confused but seemed to take the bait. "Well, do you know when she'll be back?"

"NEXT WEEK!" Maddie reflexively answered without thinking.

"...okay." replied Todd, who was extremely put off by now. "I'll come back when she's here." he said hesitantly, not sure what kind of response he'd provoke this time.

Maddie forced her signature fake grin. "That's great! I'm sure she'll be thrilled." she practically choked out through gritted teeth. Todd waved an awkward goodbye and left the Tipton lobby.

"_OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT!_" Maddie frantically screamed in her head. "_Todd's back! If London finds out she can live with him, she'll run off to Zürich and I'll never see her again!_"

"Excuse me, does this come without nuts?" innocently asked a customer who was unaware of Maddie's turmoil.

"WE'RE GETTING A NEW SHIPMENT TOMORROW!" Maddie answered over-aggressively. The customer fled in terror and Maddie returned to her panicked thoughts.

"_I have one week to stall. Maybe I can break into my piggy bank and have enough to buy an apartment out of town. Then London can move in with me before Todd gets here and…..wait what am I saying. This is stupid. Todd's a great guy and London deserves to be with the one she truly loves. Even if it's not me._" Maddie sighed to herself and resigned back to her counter. She knew she would have to tell London the truth on their date tonight. No matter how much it hurt.


End file.
